Monitoring Desk:
Intense infighting has once again erupted among Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) factions inside Afghanistan, with groups loyal to Noor Wali Mehsud and Hafiz Gul Bahadur (HGB) launching heavy attacks against one another in the provinces of Khost and Nangarhar. The clashes, fought with sophisticated and heavy weaponry, have so far resulted in the killing of over 16 militants. Pakistan officially termed TTP terrorists as Khawarij.
According to available information, at least ten Khawarij were killed in Nangarhar. Among the dead was Commander Aki, who had been responsible for the procurement of weapons and explosives for the TTP. Others included Bahar Ghani Khel, Kharji Kashif, Abu Zar, Obaida Khurrasani, and several unidentified militants. In Khost, six Khawarij were reported killed, including Commander Akhtar Gul alias Hussaini, Qari Jalal, M. Alam, Ziarat Gul, while some bodies remain unidentified. Reports further suggest that more than 40 militants sustained injuries across both battle zones, with around 32 confirmed wounded in combined fighting.
The Noor Wali Mehsud group has accused the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of providing intelligence to the Pakistan Army, allegedly leading to the targeted killing of hundreds of Noor Wali’s fighters during their attempts to infiltrate Pakistan from Afghan soil. In retaliation, the Noor Wali group has intensified its campaign against the Gul Bahadur faction. Interestingly, the Mehsud faction enjoys tacit support from certain elements within the Afghan Interim Government, which has tried to shift blame for the killings onto Pakistan by claiming they were the result of drone strikes. However, the persistence of these clashes confirms once again that TTP terrorists are not only entrenched inside Afghanistan but are also politically shielded by segments of the Afghan Interim Government’s command structure.
Unconfirmed intelligence indicates that in February 2024, influential figures within the Afghan Interim Government helped strengthen Noor Wali’s position in order to reshape the TTP’s internal power balance. During this period, Ali Dawar, head of the Jaish-e-Umeri group, pledged allegiance to Noor Wali Mehsud, significantly bolstering his authority while simultaneously undermining rival factions, particularly the Wazir-dominated Gul Bahadur group (HGB). The HGB faction, primarily composed of Wazir tribesmen, has long sought supremacy within the TTP. Although both factions occasionally collaborate in joint operations against Pakistani forces, Dawar’s defection dealt a heavy blow to HGB, further consolidating Noor Wali’s dominance. Widely regarded as a master manipulator, Noor Wali has cultivated strong ties with the Afghan Interim Government. His ability to exploit divisions among rivals has enabled him to steadily expand his influence, often by orchestrating targeted assassinations. For instance, sources attribute the killing of Commander Rahim, also known as Shahid Umar of the Bajauri group, to Noor Wali’s network within the Afghan Taliban.
Reports suggest that certain members of the Taliban’s Interim Administration favor Noor Wali’s ascendancy, seeking to give him undisputed control over the TTP across all tribal districts. Their strategic calculation appears to be the consolidation of power under a single, more manageable faction, sidelining or eliminating competing groups such as the Wazirs, Afridis, Bajauris, and Swatis. Meanwhile, Hafiz Gul Bahadur has publicly denied any recent meetings with the Taliban’s supreme leader, Amir al-Momineen Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, although his faction remains ideologically inspired by the Afghan Taliban.
Intelligence from Kabul suggests that Noor Wali’s increasing reliance on violence against both rivals and former allies demonstrate not only his ruthless ambition but also the fragility of TTP’s internal cohesion. For Noor Wali, the TTP is not solely an ideological platform but also a vehicle for personal and clan-based power, particularly for the Mehsud tribe. Ironically, while the group claims to wage war in the name of Islam, its actions reflect a brutal struggle for dominance, resources, and survival, mirroring patterns seen in other jihadist organizations worldwide.
When asked to comment, a former intelligence officer in Islamabad who had been dealing directly with Afghan terrorism, was of the view that world is putting pressure on Afghan Taliban to control terror groups as they are becoming global threat so operational space is becoming limited inside Afghanistan for terror outfits and every group wants to purge the other one to get the limited operational space. Moreover, the amount coming from India for launching terrorism on Pakistan is so huge that every Afghan commander wants to get his share, resulting in fighting over the money. According to him the situation is getting critical for Afghan Interim Government as intense fighting among TTP groups shows that thousands of TTP terrorists are not only living inside Afghanistan rather they are directly in contact with Afghan Interim Government who is trying to put blame of killing of terrorists over Pakistan claiming that TTP commanders were killed in a drone attack Pakistan executed inside Afghanistan.
A senior journalist who had been covering Afghan war since 1988 claimed:
The infighting between Noor Wali Mehsud and Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s factions of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan, reported on August 28, 2025, reflects a power struggle intensified by a 2020 reorganization that merged multiple militant groups, boosting TTP’s lethality but also its internal divisions, as noted in a 2019 U.S. Department of Defense report estimating 3,000-4,000 militants. Historical data from 2009-2012 shows TTP factionalism recurring, with brief alliances collapsing into violence, indicating that current clashes may be fueled by competition for Indian funding and resources, a claim supported by unverified intelligence suggesting financial incentives drive the infighting.
